Fiji News

School canteen guidelines revised

A revised school canteen guideline has been launched by the Education and the Health Ministries.

The guideline incorporates the Fiji Food and Health Guidelines, as well as the Education Ministry’s policy on food and nutrition in schools.

National Food and Nutrition Center Nutritionist, Alvina Deo says, a hefty fine is in place if schools do not comply with the new guideline.

“Most of the schools that we have worked with and even a particular study that was done in 2012, showed that most of the schools do not comply with canteen guidelines and do not have valid health licenses. So this together with the food safety act schools can be charged because of not having proper health license or a business license. If you don’t have valid license through the food safety act there is a $10,000 fine or imprisonment.”

A major addition in the guideline is the environment the children are growing in.

“What they are learning in the classroom and what they get outside in the school environment does not support, so children kind of get mixed messages so if you teach about healthy eating inside the classroom and once they come out and all they get is lollies and sweets it does not reflect well in their upbringing.”

The School Canteen Guideline is based on the revision of the 2005 guideline.